Cho Kyu-sung, who was thrust into the spotlight last year for his tremendous performance, seems to be under a lot of pressure to step up to the plate when the team is in a difficult situation.
Jeonbuk Hyundai lost 0-1 to the Pohang Steelers in the 15th round of the Hana OneQ K League 1 2023 at 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 29 at Steelyard. This ended Jeonbuk’s four-match unbeaten streak.
Acting head coach Kim Doo-hyun once again sent Cho Kyu-sung to the starting lineup. Last season’s top scorer in the K League 1 and a star of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Cho Kyu-sung was highly sought after in the winter transfer window, with some even talking about a move to Europe. In addition to his skills, his good looks made him even more popular. He recently returned to Jeonbuk after suffering a thigh injury early in the season that sidelined him for a while.
During his absence, Jeonbuk suffered a slump that led to the departure of head coach Kim Sang-sik. After Kim Doo-hyun took over, the defense improved, but the offense was still disappointing. Jeonbuk fans had high hopes that the return of Cho Kyu-sung would solve the problem. Against Suwon FC, Cho made his comeback after two months and looked heavy. He had three shots on goal and zero on target.
He started again against Pohang. To spread the pressure on Cho, Jeonbuk put Hapa Silva directly under him and flanked him with the speedy Moon Sun-min and Lee Dong-joon. Jeonbuk fans had high hopes that the team would do something this time, but Pohang was also silent. Even when Moon Sun-min and Lee Dong-joon broke through, they were unable to finish in the center.
Just like against Suwon FC, we didn’t seem to be in the best shape. There were quite a few mistakes and the team was lacking in physical battles and aerial balls, which are their strengths. With Cho Kyu-sung blocked, Jeonbuk’s offense stalled. Acting coach Kim Doo-hyun brought on Song Min-gyu at the start of the second half and later added Gustavo to maximize the attack. Jeonbuk attacked onslaught but failed to create any threatening chances.
Cho Kyu-sung didn’t just stay up front, dropping down to the second line to receive the ball and get involved in the play. Despite his efforts, no goals were scored. His shot on goal was blocked by Hwang In-Jae, and just like in the first half, he was hampered by poor touch. Jeonbuk lost 0-1 after conceding a goal to Ko Young-joon. 안전놀이터
Cho Kyu-sung requested a Mixzone interview to ask him about his current physical condition and his will to overcome the current situation. Normally, you can catch a player leaving the Mix Zone and interview him, but Pohang had to ask the away team’s officials in advance due to the stadium conditions. The reason for this is that the two clubs have different exit routes.
A Jeonbuk official said, “Cho Kyu-sung told us that it was difficult to get an interview.” Unless there’s something special going on, they accept all Mixzone interview requests, but Cho Kyu-sung refused. It was a sign of the immense pressure he was under.